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Author Topic: Okay, varroa screen on, What next?  (Read 11883 times)

Offline yoderski

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SBB
« Reply #20 on: June 07, 2006, 06:52:51 pm »
I currently after all my trouble have tuned the bottom board around and have the SBB on top of that and then the hive body.  As far as I can tell, that is the way Betterbee suggests putting it, although some in the forum have a SBB with no bottoms.....In the south here, that should be cooler for the bees, that is for sure.   I am not quite brave enough for that, although I will eventually probably switch to that.  Philip, the picture you have is what I have when I say SBB.
Jon Y.
Atmore, AL

Offline Jay

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Okay, varroa screen on, What next?
« Reply #21 on: June 07, 2006, 07:36:34 pm »
This is the order I have my hives in (I make all my own equipment by the way):

First is the hive stand, then comes the screened bottom board (I made mine with a slot below the screen to slide in a solid board to close them up in winter. You can also use the solid slide in board with a sticky sheet or vasoline to do a mite drop count. My solid slide in board stays out all summer.) The screened bottom board pictured above does not have a slot for the solid slide in board by the way. I do not use slatted racks, I find them to be redundant with the screened bottom board (not all will agree with me). Next comes the brood nest. I use all medium boxes (3 mediums in leau of 2 deeps here in the northeast). This allows me interchangability in all my equipment. If I need to borrow a frame of brood from a strong hive to bolster a weak hive, everything is in medium boxes. If I need to steal a frame of honey to feed a starving colony, everything is in medium boxes. Pull it out of one, put it in another! Mediums are by far easier to lift by the way! Next comes the honey supers. As stated before, all mediums. Then inner cover, popsicle sticks for upper ventilation, then outter cover. I do use an Imire shim from time to time over the brood nest when introducing a new queen or feeding pollen patties. I hope this helps.  :D
By the rude bridge that arched the flood
Their flag to Aprils breeze unfurled
Here once the embattled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard round the world
-Emerson

Offline fuzzybeekeeper

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Okay, varroa screen on, What next?
« Reply #22 on: June 07, 2006, 07:39:21 pm »
Some SBB come with a tray or a place (slots, tracks) to slide a tray under the screen.  Mine do not.  I have my SBB open to the ground on cinder blocks.  I wish I had the kind that you could slide a tray under.

I have ordered some "test trays" from The Bee Works in Canada.  They should be here this week.  Here is the link:

http://www.beeworks.com/uscatalog/details/testray.asp

They are designed to slide in the front of the hive and stay 24 hours and then pull out and check.  At $5.15 each, I ordered 5 so I can do half of my hives at once.  I'll let you know how they turn out.

I had never thought of turning the original bottom board backwards and puting a tray there but that would work.  The problem is that it sort of defeats the ventilation advantage of the SBB, especially here in Texas.  And I'm not sure the mites wouldn't be able to crawl back up the sides and through the screen to get on the bees again.

Fuzzybeekeeper

Offline cphilip

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Okay, varroa screen on, What next?
« Reply #23 on: June 07, 2006, 09:11:49 pm »
I think what I might do is, before I install this hive's SBB, cut myself a filler board for winter. So I can be prepared to close it up in the winter. I don't think it has a slot so I will have to fit it fairly close to the inside dimentions. I'll know more once it gets here.


You would think that any SBB would have a slot and a simple sheet to slide into it. Like a peice of Aluminum or something. Would be better to have that option.

Offline Hi-Tech

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Okay, varroa screen on, What next?
« Reply #24 on: June 07, 2006, 11:08:18 pm »
yoderski,
 i would definitely remove the solid bottom board and use only the screened bottom board with it open and not the kind with sticky paper under it. The hive beetles are so bad in our area and can take over a hive so quickly, the SBB needs to be there and open. I have worked with several of the commercial beekeepers in the area and have seen what the hive beetle can do in a very short time. You don't even need to close it in the winter.

On another note, I have seen that hives with SBBs build up a lot faster than hives without them. Put your hives in the full sun where they get sun all day (no shade at all if possible) and use SBBs and you will have little SHB problems...
Computer Tech, Beekeeper, Hunter = Hi-Tech Redneck
talkhunting.com

Offline cphilip

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Okay, varroa screen on, What next?
« Reply #25 on: June 08, 2006, 02:39:02 pm »
Thats actualy about what Brushy Mountains description advises if you got to thier printed catalog.

However the printed catalog says they come with a Corregated bottom sheet. And this is described as plastic. For application of sticky to trap mites.

Interesting... so no problems with cold weather on these as far up as I am? It do get cold here. In the teens and even single digits some times.

Offline Hi-Tech

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Okay, varroa screen on, What next?
« Reply #26 on: June 09, 2006, 12:11:05 am »
For you Cphillip, I would close it during winter if thats what others around you are doing. Our winters rarely get under 30 degrees
Computer Tech, Beekeeper, Hunter = Hi-Tech Redneck
talkhunting.com

Offline cphilip

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Okay, varroa screen on, What next?
« Reply #27 on: June 09, 2006, 12:24:48 am »
I'll have to ask around.

I do think it wise to prepare a closure board to insert before I put the hive into operation. Just in case. I am still building this hive as we speak. Waiting on some of it. I installed a pedistal for it today as a matter of fact.

Offline Jay

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Okay, varroa screen on, What next?
« Reply #28 on: June 09, 2006, 11:52:01 am »
I know some folks even up here in the northeast who leave their sbb open all winter. Some close it to a crack to continue to get some ventilation benefits. It's not the cold that kills bees, it's moisture. There are guys in my club who provide bees for apitherapy, and open their hives with no problem all winter long! Keep in mind we're not talking a full inspection here, just open the top, vacuum out 50 or so bees then close up again. Here are a set of plans for a screened bottom board with a slide in tray! :D

http://www.beesource.com/plans/ipmbottom.htm
By the rude bridge that arched the flood
Their flag to Aprils breeze unfurled
Here once the embattled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard round the world
-Emerson

 

anything